Beauty.
Ever stopped and thought about the word? I mean really, STOPPED, and thought about it?
To me, I think there are two kinds of beauty.
One being where you know you're beautiful but don't really care enough about it to flaunt it. Sure, there are those people that know they're beautiful and show it off like there's no tomorrow, but I think that makes them…less attractive I guess. I mean, to be truly beautiful, you have to be beautiful both inside and out right? It's a two way street isn't it?
Well, it is for me.
As for the second way to be beautiful, I should think that would be a bit more obvious. Surely you would guess that the only other way to be beautiful would be to be beautiful and not know it.
Ryo, for instance, is beautiful and totally oblivious to it.
The things he does sometimes, I swear it's just to turn us on. I mean really, one can only dance around in their underwear for so long before you wonder what's UNDERNEATH it all.
I certainly do.
Now, I honestly think that there are only two ways to be beautiful. But I'm seriously taking into consideration a third way.
To be beautiful, and to both oblivious to it, and know it at the same time.
I don't know HOW in the hell you can pull that off, but Sage seems to do it just fine. One minute he's baffled as to why I gawk at him so, then the next he's giving me this look…THIS LOOK! It just BLEEDS, "Take me, you know you want me because I'm beautiful".
And he is.
He is so beautiful.
I don't know why such a creature graced this planet, or why…why he choose to be with *ME* of all people, but I don't regret it.
Heavens no!
Cye once told me something quite peculiar, and when I finally figured it out I had to laugh at my own innocence.
He told me that things happen for a reason. That things aren't just coincidences, that they're fated to happen.
At the time, I was sixteen, horny as hell and so head-over-heals for blondie that I couldn't see straight. I just figured that Cye was being, well, CYE, and trying to pour some culture into my boring, book filled life. Back then, there were only two things that I lived for - Sage's smiles and my books.
Actually that's about all I live for now, but you don't need to know that.
ANYWAY, as I was saying, getting back to my story, Cye decided to give my some advice about my life thus far.
"You're life is fucking boring Rowen."
See? Great advice! Can always count on Cye to give you uplifting words of praise.
"Thank you Cye, I really was trying something new, but I can't seem to do a thing-"
"Stop being a smart ass idiot!"
"Sheesh, what crawled up your knickers?"
"My knickers aren't your problem right now! I want to know what *YOUR* problem is anymore."
I bulked at him, naturally. I mean, he's the one that snapped at me first, you would think I would be directing this question at him, wouldn't you?
"Whaddaya mean Cye? All I ever do is-"
"READ. And where will that get you?"
A good college degree, which leads to a nice home, a beautiful wife and 2.5 children. Wait, there's something wrong with this scenario. Oh yes, I'm just a little *GAY*.
"Nowhere quick?" I offered up hopefully, hoping he'd just go away. Don't get me wrong, I love Cye. Really I do, I adore him, he's so damn cute all the time it's hard not too, but…when he gets in his mother hen modes MAJOR I just want him to shut the fuck up and go the hell away.
Which, of course, he never does.
"Exactly. Put that book away. Get up, and go help Sage and Kento wash Mia's jeep."
"Because…?"
"Because as hard as you try and hide it, everyone in this house knows that you're as straight as a rainbow love, which isn't saying much. I know for a fact that you're madly in love with Sage. Now do you want to see him in tight, WET, dark blue jeans or do you want to stand there with your mouth hanging open, catching flies?"
A little from column a, a little from column b…
"I know when I'm beat." I said smiling helplessly at him.
He swatted my butt playfully as I made to leave the living room, and I looked back over my shoulder to wink at him. He was one to talk. He and Ryo were practically one they were together so much.
Poor Kento, always the odd man out.
Maybe that's why we all made an extra effort to always include him.

I eventually made it outside, and practically passed out from the lack of blood to my heart the second I caught sight of Sage.
MY GOD.
How the hell does a deity create THAT and not feel worthy of a gloat?
He's such a vision.
Fucking perfection.
Damn, I want him.
"Hey Ro, Cye con you into helping us do Mia's jeep too?" Kento asked from down by the tires. Sage looked up as Kento announced my presence and sent me one of his most charming smiles.
Soooooo not fair that I can't do this to HIM. Bastard, swear to GOD he does this just to turn me on and make my knees go all to Jell-O.
Ah what the hell, might as well play his game right?
I smirked back at the warrior of Halo and promptly ignored him. I looked down at Kento and nodded.
"Threatened me with a poisoned dinner."
"You too huh?"
I shook my head and laughed.
Kento, beautiful ignorance.
"Yep." I answered and pulled off my T-shirt. I thought I saw Sage starring, but I could be wrong.
I probably was.
I've personally always thought that my body was scrawny and white. I have SOME muscle, yes, nowhere NEAR Kento's poundage, but…it's there. Just not as much as I would like, so I've never consider myself something to stare at.
So, I went to washing the left side of the jeep, humming this annoying song that always seemed to be stuck in my head whenever I got anywhere near Sage.
I forget where I first heard it, I think it was one of Cye's girly anime shows that he watches, but the tune just stuck in my head. It was a nice tune though.
To my COMPLETE surprise, Sage started to sing the lyrics along as I hummed.

This rose is our destiny
It's being lead on
Now it's time you and I
Once again come together

While time may pass us by
Remember the promise
Let it stand up to time
So it seems, I've come all this way at last

Though sometimes the pain is part of love
And our hearts get cut in two
And the pain is so intense
It's all right

Love - it gives us all our dreams
It's inside courage too
And the light,
Shining on
Burning forever

So love lives on and on
And the hearts of everyone
They are so deeply moved


And therefore
You and I, we're together
It's so the world can change
Absolute
You and I
Everything will become one
One eternal true power

It's true

His voice ended on a soft high C, which sent shivers down my spin. Ouch, doesn't he know what he does to me?
I shoved my lust down into the pit of my stomach and leaned against the vehicle to give him much deserved applause. He actually blushed.
"Thanks."
"Ah hell, I only give credit where credit is due. You're voice is um, really…really…er, nice."
"So is yours." He said as he rounded the jeep to stand next to me. He looked slightly nervous. So was I, standing this close to him in nothing but my wet cut-off jean shorts. I scratched the back of my head just to have something to do.
"Yeah, well-"
He totally caught me off guard as he stopped a short lived rambling session with his soft lips. I jerked back a little at first; I was so shocked, but just as soon dove back in to kiss the life out of him. His arms wove around my neck and mine went around his waist, pulling him as close as was physically possibly.
Heaven.
That was the only thing going through my mind. That THIS was surely heaven. His lips tasted like cherries from his chapstick (he always complained about having dry lips, so I got him some cherry flavored chapstick as an unbirthday present) and his mouth felt hot and welcoming as my tongue swirled inside.
"Break it up you two." I heard Kento through my fog of happiness. Screw him, the man of my dreams was kissing me, I'll break it up when I WANT to break it up.
He had other ideas though.
We jerked apart as freezing cold water sprayed all over our bare torsos, and soaked our already soaking pants. Evil bastard. I lunged at him, and he merrily danced out of my way.
I chased him around the yard yelling about were I was going to stick that damn hose, and a few other things, but considering Kento is surprisingly fast for his size, it was pretty much in vain.
Later that night as I curled up in bed with Sage, just holding him like I still do to this day, I heard him whisper something that I'll never forget.
"You're beautiful."
And that's when I realized that you can't count the number of ways to be beautiful. To each their own, right?
In each way someone is beautiful to someone else, that's what makes us all different.
The way we define the world around us, and the way others define us, is what makes us what we are.
Being beautiful can't really be defined I don't think, not anymore anyway, because…because then we wouldn't be us.
As I drifted off to sleep that night I knew that I was holding the most beautiful thing in my life close, and he was holding the most beautiful thing in his life close.
Perhaps that's the way it was meant to be.

Oi…was that ok? I really like this ficcy! The song in the middle is from the Utena movie (*sighs* I love that part, Anthy and Utena are so cute…) so's um…that's why I said girly anime. I used the translated version of it, so if you want the Japanese version, you is out of luck. ^^V
PLEASE REVIEW!!!! Thanks…
Sayonara,
- Ember